Artificial flower and method for making the same.



No. 815,005. I v IATENTED MAR.13, 1906. E. CASE.

ARTIFICIAL FLOWER AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME.

' APPLICATION FILED D1103. 1902.

SPEOIMENS.

- 2 SHEETS-$32M 1.

WITNESSES: IIVVENTOR.

PATENTED MAR. 13,1906.

, I B. CASE. 7 ARTIFICIAL FLOWER AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME APPLIUATION FILED DEC, 3. 1902.

. SPEOIM BNS.

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ITNESSES:

.nnrrnnsrnrns PATENT onnron. 7 p p ESTELLA class, or EwroRK, N. Y.

A RTlFlClA L FLOWER AND METHOD l- OR MAKING THE SAME Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 19 06.

Application filed December 8, 1902. Serial No, 133.665. (Specimens) 'To all whom itmdy concern.-

.Be it known that I, ESTELLA (Law, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Flowers and Methods for Making the Same, of which the following description,

. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters representing like parts in all the figures. My invention relates to artificial flowers, fruits, and leaves-made from blanks of flat flexible material and also to the method or mode by which the same may be produced from various and diflerent kinds of flexible material. I

Particularly, my invention relates to artificial flowers, leaves, buds, or fruits made in imitation of the natural forms and colors without dyeing, stiffening, or changing the condition of the material used and without the use of molds, glue, or anything of the character.

It is an object of my invention to produce artificial flowers, leaves,-fruit, &c., having a remarkably close resemblance to nature from flexible material of various'kinds and a further object of my invention is to construct applied trimmings and also an open-work fabric from such flowers, leaves, fruits, &c., by joining the latter so as to produce anels, trimmings, or suitable forms for m1 linery purposes. 7

' With these objects in view my invention consists in the article and-in the art, process,

'or mode of producing the same hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part 'of this specification I have illustrated flowers, leaves, and

fruits of various kinds, together with blanks for producing the same, also a fabric constructed in. accordance with my invention.

combining'two blanks of the form of Fig. 2'

after being properly shaped. Fig. 13 shows another form into which the blank of Fig. 2 may be worked. Fig. 14 illustrates a raceme of bleeding-hearts andbuds made from the triangular and circular blanks. Figs. 15, 16, and 1 7 show the forms ofleaves into which the Fig. 19 shows a full-blown rose dea leaf, also developedfrom the blank of Fig.

4. Fig. 21 shows an apple-blossom developed from blanks of Fig. 2. Fig. 22 illusf trates a leaf developed from blank of Fig. 4. Fi 23 shows a bud developed from the cone of ig. 18 or the blank of Fig. 1, and Fig. 24

shows a fabric constructed from the products of the various blanks in accordance with my invention.

Primarily it is to be understood that the Q material used in the production of the various flowers,.leaves, fruits, and other ornamental designs is any flexible material such as silk, linen of all kinds, and any other material which may be found suitable and which may be developed into the various sha es desired in the manner hereinafter descri ed.

In producing any shape of flower, leaf, &c. or .any of the elementary parts thereof a L blank or blanks of the form desired is selected. These forms (shown in the drawings) are merely suggestive of the shapes which can be used and do not include the many other shapes and forms which may be produced, the same depending entirely upon the efiect or result desired. Next the blanks are modeled to imitate the natural forms of the elementary parts they are to represent by gathering the excessive fullness of the blanks into the desired shape and securing or holding the gathers by sewing or by attaching a gathering cord or wire, which latter may be manipulated to retain the gathers and shape, asshown in Fig. 5. This may also be done by an ordinary-running-stitch or by laying a cord on the surface of the material or on the edge thereof and overstitching it or by binding or covering the edges with tape in any suitable manner. This provides a means by which the material may be gathered or puckered and by which any degree of fullness may be obtained and held in the material and at any point therein or along its edges, so as to produce the various natural effects desired. A cord or wire may alsobe stitched into a fold of the material in the body thereof or along its edges and the material gathered or puckered thereon in the manner desired and held in shape thereby. Various other means Fig. 20 illustrates for producing the effects just stated may be employed, and I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular means which I have described. Hence throughout this description and the claims when I refer to the means or medium by which the effects just stated are secured as a oord I desire it understood that by such term I mean to include a wire, thread, tape, cord, or other means by which the gathering or necessary fullness may be produced for the purposes stated. When raw edges are exposed, the same may be finished by overstitching or otherwise, and it may be stated that this manner of finishing the edges of the materialj adds, in many instances, to the natural effects and produces a striking similarity to nature.

In the drawings I have given the different blanks distinctive reference characters and have used in subsequent figures the same ref erence characters coupled with exponents to indicate the flower, leaf, or elementary part which is produced from the respective blanks. In this manner I have avoided the use of nu merous reference characters and also avoided confusion in the description, for throughout the leaf, flower, or part made from a certain blank can be quickly discerned by the like reference-letter.

In Fig. 1 a triangular blank a is shown, in

Fig. 2 a circular blank I), in Fig. 3 a crescentshaped blank 0, in Fig. 4 an elongated blank (1, and in all the figures the cord, wire, or thread is indicated by t. In the other figures the same reference characters with exponents indicate the product of the respective blanks, and a mere reference to the figures is hereinafter made. The triangular shape given to the blank of Fig. 1 enables it to be converted into various forms, such as the bud of Fig. 23, the rose of Fig. 19, and the buds of bleeding-hearts of Fig. 14:, these forms being produced by first applying the stitching, &c., in the manner described, placing two edges together and then drawing the cone of Fig. 18 thus produced into various shapes of Figs. 14, 19, and 23 by the proper manipulation of the stitching and the fabric.

The blank of Fig. 2 is susceptible of manipulation to produce many different kinds of flowers or parts thereof, as also various different kinds of leaves and fruits-that is to say, Figs. 5 and 6 show petals formed from such blank, Figs. 7 and 8 show leaves formed from such blank, Fig. 9 shows a cluster, Fig.

14 bleeding-hearts, and Fig. 12 shows a flower also formed from such blank, two such blanks having been properly manipulated and placed together in said figure, the center of Fig. 12 being shown puffed and protruding. In Fig. 5 the puckered appearance is produced by small plaits, while in Fig. 6 it is produced by gathering the edge with a thread, wire, or

cord, as described. In Fig. 7 the stitching extends around the entire edge of the blank, while in Fig. 8 the edges are stitched together, thus producing a single line of stitching down the center.

Figs. 11 and 13 show the manner of manipulating the blank of Fig. 2 so as to produce the deep cup of an orchid and to give the same a center of different color from the outside, two blanks of the shape of Fig. 2 being sewed together, Fig. 11, and then drawn into the shape of Fig. 13.

' The crescent blank of Fig. 3 may be manipulated so as to give various forms of leaves as shown in Figs. 15, 16, and 17, two such blanks being placed together, as in Figs. 16 and 17, in a manner to produce the desired shape or effect, or only one such blank may be used, as in Fig. 15.

The form of blank in Fig. 4 may be manipulated to produce the leaf shown in. Figs. 20 and 22, that of Fig. 20 being formed of two such blanks folded and their edges joined together, as in Fig. 7, and that of Fig. 22 being formed of one such blank and having the stitching running lengthwise and centrally thereof, and in both instances the fabric being properly drawn and gathered to produce the desired effect and giving the veined appearance of natural leaves.

Additional natural effects may be obtained by combining fabrics of different color, as shown, for example, in Figs. 11, 12, 13, 20, and 21, in the latter figure the back of the petals being different from the face and each petal being made from two circular blanks of Fig. 2, the result being in great measure dependent upon taste and upon the flowers desired, also materials of different kinds may combined with good efiects. Further natural effects can be produced by whip-stitching the edges of the product, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 at If, and drawing the threads t with some tension. so as to straighten out the un-' dulations of thread and produce the crimpled or notched appearance shown.

The various flowers, fruit, and leaves produced may be provided with stems s, whereby the same may be properly clustered and combined for millinery purposes, or they may be applied to any other kind of material as an ornament or as an overlying trimming to produce a resemblance to the conventional applique work.

WVhile I have in the drawings illustrated only flowers, leaves, fruit, and clusters, it is to be understood that blanks of a given form may be manipulated, in accordance with my invention, so as to produce a trimming, or the flowers and leaves, made in accordance with my invention, may be applied to material of any character'e. g., netting, leather, or any other suitable material-for the purpose of producing a trimming to be subse quently applied to dresses, curtains, or tap- IIS estry of any kind or used as an openwork fabric, devoid of backing or support, for ourtains, dresses, and many other purposes for which artificial" flowers, 'made in the usual way, cannot be used. Moreover, asshown 1n 24, the productswhether fruit,-

. flowers, or leavesof the several blanks may be formed and constructed into panels, strips, or various other shapes or fabrics for many ornamental purposes. That is to say, the various products may be put together and a fabric constructed therefrom by joining the various products into many artistic designs, the stems s-of the flowers, &c., being utilized for the purpose, and when they cannot be availed of the various parts may be joined by threads'n, thus producing the ornamental efiects and general appearance of renaissance lace. A fabric thus constructed can be applied to any suitable backing m of light material, or it may be made into predetermined patterns and its artistic and ornamental elfects enhanced by draping it upon colored silks, &c.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced fabrics of a highly novel and ornamental character individually and parts or groups of which may be com bined to produce highly novel and ornamental and natural effects, thus makingpossible a new industry. My method of production is also important in that it enables the use of materials which have been heretofore thrown away as worthless,.but which, when manipulated in accordance with my method, become exceedingly valuable to the trade.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v l. The method for producing an artificial flower, &c., consisting in cutting a blank into suitable shape leaving raw edges; finishing the edges of said blank with an overstitch; retaining by said stitch a gathering-cord; and gathering or manipulating the entire blank by said cord into a definite form.

2. The method for producing an artificial flower, &c., comprising cutting a blank into suitable shape leaving raw edges; attaching a cord to such blank along its periphery; and drawing said cord across the body of said blank, t'hus gathering. the material of the blank in imitation of natural markings.

3. The method for producing an artificial flower, &c., comprising cutting a plurality ofblanks into forms suitable for the elementary parts of the desired article; finishing the cut edges of said blanks; gathering the'blanksseparately in a manner to simulate the forms of such elementary parts; and joining and-arranging the several blanks thus formed to produce said-article.

4. The method for producing a fabric, consisting in formin a blank of suitable material and shape; ishing the edges of said blank a cord by which the same may be gathered, crimped or puckered; gathering or manipulating the blank to produce the desired effect; and suitably connecting a plurality of such products into the predetermined form or fabric.

5. The method for producing an artificial flower, 850., comprising shaping a plurality of pieces of material by cutting, thus also producing raw edges; connecting said pieces by a joining-seam to form a composite blank; and securing a gathering-cord to the product, whereby the blank may be manipulated to produce the desired natural effects in thearticle.

6. As an article of manufacture, artificial flowers, leaves, &c., comprising a blank conshape leaving raw edges means for finishing the raw edges of the parts, said parts being combined and connected to produce the desired natural effect; and means loosely secured to said blank by which the same may be manipulated into and retained in various forms along the edges and in the body thereof to produce the predetermined form or article. 7. As an artlcle of manufacture, artificial flowers, leaves, &c., comprising a blank consisting of a plurality of elementary parts out into suitable shape leaving raw edges; means for finishing the raw edges of the parts, said parts being of contrastlng colors and combined and connected to produce the desirednatural effect; and means loosely secured to said blank by which the same may be manipulated into and retained in various forms along the edges and in the body thereof to producethe predetermined form or article.

8. As an article of manufacture, artificial flowers, leaves, &c., comprising a blank cut into suitable form leaving raw edges; means loosely secured to said blank by which the same may be manipulated and retained in various forms along its edges and in the body thereof; and an overstitch applied to said blank for finishing its raw edges.

9. As an article of manufacture, an artificial flower, &c.,' comprising a blank consisting of a plurality of elementary parts out to form raw edges, said parts being connected edge to edge to form the blank, and each of said parts having its raw edges finished, and said blank being-provided with a permanently-attached gathering-cord by which it may be held in shape.

10. As an article of manufacture, an artificial flower, &c., comprising a plurality of parts each of which is cut to have an elementaryshape suitable for making the desired article, said parts being grouped to have the definite form of the desired article, and each of said parts having a permanently-attached cord for retaining its elementary shape.

11. As an article of manufacture, an artifiroo ITO

&

cial flower, &c., comprising a blank consisting of a plurality of elementary parts, said parts being joined edge to edge by stitching, and a gathering-cord attached to said blank and permanently held thereto by stitching.

12. An artificial flower, fruit or leaf, consisting of one or more parts cut from textile fabric, the said parts each having its edges finished by overstitching, and a gatheringcord inclosed in the stitching, said cord being drawn to form the parts into the desired shape and secured to retain said shape.

13. As an article of manufacture, a blank for artificial flowers, &c., cut to the shape resembling an elementary part of a flower, &c., and to form raw edges, said blank being provided with a gathering-cord attached thereto by a finishing-stitch applied to the raw edges, the disposition of the cord being such that the blank may be drawn by said cord into a shape resembling an elementary part of a flower, &c.

14. As an article of manufacture, artificial flowers, leaves, &c., comprising a plurality of blanks of suitable material and shape; means attached to said blanks by which the same may be manipulated into and retained in various forms along the edges and in the body thereof; said blanks being of contrasting colors and combined and connected to produce a predetermined form or efl'ect.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ESTELLA CASE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. MoC. CHAPMAN, M. B. HOARE. 

